Don't Ruin The Fireworks
by Funkiechick
Summary: Pg-13 for swears. Post-game. Dagger is once again angry at Zidane, who's completely baffled until Freya explains to him that perhapes there's something he hasn't said that he should have told Dagger long ago...


Don't Ruin The Fireworks  
By Funkiechick  
  
(This is my first FF9 fic, which is odd since it's like, probably my favorite game now that I think about it. Anyhow, _I_ really like this fic, and I'm proud of it. Enjoy.)  
  
  
Zidane rubbed his temples and sighed. God, did he have a headache or WHAT? And it wasn't as if he'd DONE anything! Not BAD anyway! Besides, she loved him, he loved her...what was the problem? Why the yelling?  
  
'That's what people who care about each other DO, Dagger!'  
  
He would have gone on persisting, but she'd glared at him so he shut up-causing Steiner to laugh at him. And that had been the worst part, because Steiner wasn't exactly a laughing person. But just the same, Zidane wasn't getting anywhere.  
  
It had been two years since he came back to Dagger. Two years, and he still didn't live in the palace. Blank often bothered him about it. 'Hey, if _I_ was her stud, I'D be living in the palace! Not switching back and forth from Alexandria to Lindblum every week!'  
  
Then Ruby hit him.  
  
But the point was, Zidane didn't feel wanted. Dagger was unaccustomed to affection in that matter, and she wasn't used to too much physical contact. So whenever Zidane would kiss her-she'd break it off just as he was getting passionate.  
  
Zidane was getting very frustrated.  
  
He broke out of his thoughts when he felt a sharp smack on the head, and he swore violently as he looked behind him. Freya stood there, smiling. Zidane glared at her, and she sat down.  
  
"No words of greeting? I haven't been here in a while." She said, taking his untouched mug of beer away from him, and taking a swig. "I take it a beautiful walking mass of self-abuse is the problem?"  
  
"Beautiful? Yeah, try GORGEOUS." Zidane snapped, then paused. "Walking mass of self-abuse? What are you talking about?"  
  
"She constantly beats herself up about everything. Everything is her own fault, according to Garnet rules. That's just the way she is." Freya inspected him. "Or your fault. One or the other."  
  
"Har-dee-friggen-har-har." Zidane grumbled.  
  
"But you're moping in the Alexandrian bar-this is new."  
  
"Blank and Ruby were getting on my nerves."  
  
"How so?"  
  
"'Argue argue argue-get layed and not tell anyone-argue argue argue.'" Zidane snorted. "They sicken me. They pretend they don't know that we know about their little nightly escapades."  
  
"And it just reminds you that Dagger's not a whore." Freya said brightly, taking another drink of beer.  
  
"Neither is RUBY." Zidane defended. "And I don't mean SEX, I just mean Dagger gets uncomfortable with anything other than hugging and the smallest of kisses." Zidane shook his head. "Has she no HORMONES? CURIOSITY? Any sexual desire at ALL?"  
  
"Maybe the monkey tail ruins the fireworks."  
  
"Oh fuck YOU-"  
  
"Settle down, settle down." Freya sighed. "You seem to FORGET Zidane, Dagger is Queen. What she does influences her reputation more than you know."  
  
"How would people know about what I do with Dagger?" Zidane asked incrediously. "She wont be making no public announcement. And believe me, neither would Steiner."  
  
"It's you, idiot." Freya snapped. "As soon as something happens you'll rush to Tantalas yelping 'I GOT LAYED!' and everyone knows that you're Dagger's sweetie, so naturally, they'll all go about saying Dagger sleeps with her beau before they got married."  
  
"Well that's stupid." Zidane pouted, folding his arms harshly across his chest. "God damn STUPID."  
  
"It's fact. Have you ever tried being romantic in a moment other than danger?" Freya suggested. Zidane cocked an eyebrow. "Well, the only times you were ever romantic with her were when one of you thought you were about to die or something. Or if you rescued her. Otherwise it's all grabbing her ass and being surprised when she kicks your face in."  
  
"I'm her BOYFRIEND, I should be allowed to grab her ass."  
  
"You don't look into women much, do you!? You look AT them, and then you decide 'Hey now! Nice ass! That must mean she wants me to squeaze it!'"  
  
Zidane blinked. "Well, doesn't it?"  
  
THUMP!   
  
Freya's head slumped to the table in frustration as Zidane stared at her, puzzled. She raised her head again. "Zidane, do you LOVE her?"  
  
He turned scarlet. "Well, yeah."  
  
"Have you told her that?"  
  
"No. But she knows I do."  
  
Freya shook her head. "Do you know how much it would mean to her if you just told her how much you love her? How much you need her? How much you absolutely ADORE her?"  
  
Zidane bit his lip, and looked down at the table. "A lot?"  
  
"Yes, a lot. And it may sound sappy, but I think you'll find that sometimes talking about how much you love each other can be just as nice as the physical part. And if you stopped trying to french her when she's BUSY. You have to be ROMANTIC the first time, then you can do it anytime you want."  
  
Freya stood then, fixing her hat. "Now if you'll excuse me. Come talk to me when you're not being such a weirdo."  
  
With that, she turned on her heel, and stalked out of the bar. Zidane sat there thinking a few moments, and then finally stood up, racing out of the pub.  
  
The bar tender almost had a hernia when he realized he couldn't bust the Queen's boyfriend for not paying-AGAIN-all because he was the Queen's boyfriend.  
  
Zidane raced as quickly as he could to the castle, and marvoled again about how well Dagger was doing at rebuilding everything. She really was extremely dedicated. He nodded greeting to some familiar faces as he ran on and finally screeched to a halt in the front quarters. The guards blinked at him.  
  
"Hey HEY. You seen Dagger?" Zidane grinned.  
  
The first guard-a familiar face, nodded his head officially. "She is inside Master Zidane. In the Garden Quarters."  
  
"Hey thanks." Zidane grinned, then nodding his head over at the smaller guard-a newbie- about a year younger than himself. "Welcome aboard!" He said, and then raced off into the castle.  
  
"Th-th-THAT'S Queen Garnet's boyfriend!?" The younger guard exclaimed.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"But-but he has a TAIL."  
  
"Sure does."  
  
"And he's as normal as WE are! I mean, he doesn't look like no dumb Prince Charming."  
  
"Never has."  
  
The guard pouted at the floor. "My life sucks."  
  
"Probably."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Princess Garnet Til Alexandros III (otherwise known as Dagger) yawned audibly as she finished watering the palace garden. Though they had a gardener, and Dagger was definately not about to take the poor mans' job and fire him, sometimes she would give him the day off and do the work herself. It was relaxing. And what with the recent screaming at Zidane, she needed some relaxation.  
  
Thinking about her cute boyfriend, the anger came back into her, and she sighed in a frustrated manor. 'Doesn't he understand ANYthing?' Dagger wondered with annoyance. 'Doesn't he GET it?'  
  
"Hey, Dagger."  
  
Dagger turned around sharply to see Zidane grinning at her in that guilty way he often did when she was mad at him, and he was scuffling the dirt around his foot. Dagger sighed, and stood up, dusting off her yellow sundress slightly.   
  
"I like that dress on you." Zidane said, walking towards her. Dagger put her hands on her hips and looked at him skepticly. "Yeah yeah, I know. I'm sorry."  
  
"It's alright." She smiled, putting her hands behind her back. "You really like this dress on me?"  
  
"Everything looks good on you, but when you wear yellow..." Zidane folded his arms across his chest. "I dunno, you just shine."  
  
Dagger flushed scarlet, but smiled just the same. She loved it when Zidane let go of his libido for more than five minutes when they were alone. So many times she'd wanted to kiss him just the way he had tried to kiss her earlier today, but he often ruined the moment with a perverted comment.  
  
Dagger was no girly girl, but everyone wanted their first SPECIAL kiss to be romantic, and that's all Dagger wanted at the moment. For Zidane to be romantic-REALLY romantic- and actually tell her how he felt without thinking she was about to die.  
  
Without warning, Dagger leaned forward and gave him a little peck on the lips, and pulled back pleased when she realized he didn't try to overdue it. She smiled at him once more, and was about to turn around and return to what she was doing, when Zidane took hold of her wrist. Dagger felt panic for a moment- was he going to try and kiss her again and get her angry at him?  
  
But no, he didn't.  
  
"You know I...uh...Dagger, I love you. You uh, know that...right?"  
  
Dagger stared at him, blinked and took a deep breath.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Moments later, Steiner was chasing after Zidane with a drawn sword, screaming obscenities about Zidane taking advantage of the princess, while Zidane waved franticly to Dagger with a goofy look on his face.  
  
"I'LL COME SEE YOU LATER!" Zidane called out.  
  
"YOU WILL NOT!" Steiner replied, and they raced off into town, Dagger smiling and deciding that Zidane really was a good kisser and she should probably do that more often.  
  
If he ever shook off Steiner of course.  
  
END 


End file.
